How To Safeguard Your Cash

Savers get around the new FDIC $250,000 insurance limit on bank accounts by speading their money across mutiple institutions. It's safe but it's also a big hassle. Now people are turning to other means to safeguard their cash. One is use a joint account owned by two or more people. Each account holder listed is insured for $250,000. Another technique that works is to set up a POD or "payable upon death" account at your bank. To set up a POD, a depositor must name a beneficiary or beneficiaries who will receive money if the primary account holder dies. Keep in mind that only certain relatives count as qualified benefciaries and a POD may disrupt a will or an estate plan. For a more formal type of POD, you may want to consult an estate attorney to form a Revocable Trust. Under this strategy, the owner assigns bneficiaries but retains control of the assets during his or her lifetime. The FDIC will insure the interests of each beneficiary for up to $250,000 For each qualified beneficiary, the FDIC will insure each beneficiary for up to $250,000. Another way to insure more than $250,000 per account is to buy multiple CDS through a stock brokerage firm. It's a fast way to spread money across different banks without the hassle of physically going to each bank. If you have $1,000,000 in cash to insure, just tell your broker to buy 4 different CDS from 4 different FDIC insured banks at $250,000 each. With a broker, you get access to numerous high yield CDS with one transaction. If you have even more money to insure, say up to 50 million dolars, you can obtain CDARS which stands for Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service. CDARS disperse individual CDS up to $50 million dollars. CDARS are available from the Promontory Interfinancial Network. You can contact them at www.promnetwork.com or call them at 1-866-776-6426. With CDARS, you have one account with one interest rate, one bank statement and one 1099 tax form. Also, you should know that money deposited in IRAs,Roth IRAs and certain other types of of retirement plans are insured up to $250,000. If you still feel that you need to do more to safeguard your cash, then see our June 08 blog post on how to open a swiss bank account. You could covert some of your dollars to Swiss francs. The Swiss franc is the safest currency in the world and it is the ONLY currency that's back by 56% gold!

The Best Chinese Dining In NYC Is In Flushing, New York

Nan Shian Dumpling House , 38-12 Prince St, 718-321-3838. Imperial Palace, 136-13 37th Ave, 718-939-3501. Xiao La Jiao, 133-48 Roosevelt Ave, 718-939-7788. Happy Beef Noodle House , 38-16 Prince St, 718-661-3969.

Three Great Spanish Rose' Wines Under $10

1. 2007 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Rosado $10 2. 2007 Bodegas Borsao Rose' 3. 2007 Marco Real Garnacha Rosado

How To Make The World's Best Grapefruit Sorbet

To make the sorbet, you'll first have to make sugar syrup. This will take about 5 minutes. For 6 2/3 cups of sugar syrup you'll need 5 cups of granulated sugar and 4 1/4 cups of water. The measurements of sugar and water have to be exact! Place the water and sugar in a large saucepan. Then cook over high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar had dissolved. Continue heating the syrup until the syrup comes to a full boil. Then immediately remove the sauce pan from the heat and pour the syrup into a large bowl or in a jar where you wish to store it. Let it completely cool before you use it. Once the syrup has cooled to room temperature, it can be stored in a refrigerator where it will keep for months until you need it. The graprefriut sorbet will take about 10 minutes to make. For one quart of sherbet you'll need 3 large grapefruits and 1 1/2 cups of cold sugar syrup. Cut each grapefruit in half and squeeze out all the juice. Measure the juice to make sure you have 2 1/2 cups to make the sherbert. Strain the juice through a seive into a bowl mix in the sugar syrup, and pour it into your ice cream maker. Then freeze and serve. For a fabulous touch, serve the sorbet in the hollowed out skins of the fruit. When you squeeze the juice, be careful not to damage the skins. Remove the thin membrane that fills the center of the skins and rub the inside of each skin with a sugar cube. Place the hollowed out sugared skins in the freezer for a least an hour before filling them with sorbet. Once your dinner guests taste this sorbet they will judge all sorbets and sherbets against this incredible recipe.

How To Make The World's Best Belgium French Fries

First, you'll need 5 large russet potatoes, 2 tablespoons of salt,2 tablespoons of sugar, and 2 quarts of vegetable oil. Peel the potatoes and trim each into a rectangle. Cut them the long way, into broad slices 1/4" thick. Then cut them into french fries 1/4" wide. Keep in mind that it's important for the size to be correct for the cooking process. Keep the cut potatoes in a bowl of cool water until your're ready to use them. Now, place 3 quarts of water, 2 tablespoons of salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a large pot and bring it to a boil. Add your cut fries to the boiling water and let the water return to a boil. Then reduce the heat until the water comes to a gentle boil and cook the potatoes fro 7 minutes or until then are soft but still holding together. Remove them with a wide slotted spider spoon and place them on paper towels until they reach room temperature. Then heat the oil in a pan or deep fryer to 250 F degrees. Then slowly lower the potatoes into the oil and cook them for 2 minutes until they are just blanched with very little color. Place on paper towels. Repeat this process until all the potatoes until they've had this first fry. Then heat the oil to 350F degrees and re-cook all the fries for 3 minutues or until they are golden brown. Put them on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. You can hold the first batch or two in a 350 F degree oven until ready to serve. Once your dinner guests taste these fries they will never set foot into a fast food restuarant as long as they live.

How To Make No-Bake Bluberry Cheesecake

To start off, you'll need 16 graham cracker squares which is 8 whole crackers crushed. Then 1/4 cup of ground pecans or walnuts, 3 tbsp of melted butter, one 8oz package of crem cheese at room temperature, 1 cup of ricotta cheese, 2 tbsp of honey, rind of a lemon freshly grated, a pinch of salt and 1 1/2 cups of bluberries. Combine the crushed graham crackers,nuts and melted butter. Press evenly into the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch square pan to form a crust about 1/4 inch thick. Put in the frig until ready to use. Using a standing or hand mixer or a whisk, combine the creme cheese, ricotta, honey, lemon rind, and salt in bowl. Spread the cheese mixture carefully and evenly over the crust, using a spatula or butter knife. Cover with fresh bluberries or other fresh fruit and chill for a least an hour or until set. Cut into square or bars and serve. Serves 8 to 12.

4 Great Whites Under $10

1. 2007 White Truck Chardonnay 2. 2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris 3. 2007 Francis Ford Coppola Presents Pinot Grigio Blanco 4. 2007 Torres Sangre de Toro Blanco

How To Save Thousands On Printer Ink

If you use a laser or inkjet printer on a regular basis you know that printers routinely demand that their ink or toner cartridges be replaced when pages come out dark and crisp. That's because printer makers make more money on selling you ink than selling you a printer. On most printers, there is a way to overide the software so the ink or toner cartridge prints until it's actually empty. To find out how your printer work, go to Google, and type in the following search terms: "how to override the low ink sensor on printers". This search will produce a number of sites that will help you override your printer's software. Also, never buy original ink cartriges no mater what the manufacturer says. Our Epson printer uses $21 cartridges that we routinely buy on line for $3 ea. Since you have to order online, at $3 each, you can afford to stockpile the cartridge you need according to how many you use a month. One good source for cheap ink is: www.Megatoners.Com Keep in mind some sites are cheaper than others for your particular printer. So do a Google search like "cheapest ink for (your printers name & number)" will give you tons of hits. Make sure you look at least 20 sites to get the cheapest price. Do not buy from sites that do not list a physical address, that do not have a phone number and that do not offer a 100% money-back guarantee on their remanufactured inks.

Websites Match TopTravel Agents To Your Needs

www.Zicasso.com , www.Tripology.com , www.Compete4YourSeat.com , and last there is www.AdventureLink.com

L.A.'s Best Prix Fixe Meal Deals

Tracht's 111 E. Ocean Blvd, Long Bch, CA 562-499-2533. Three course menu for $30 from 6-10pm Sun-Wed +25% off wine! Chicken Itza 2501 W. Sixth St, LA 213-380-0051. Seven course tasting meal for $35 on Saturdays. All' Angelo 7166 Melrose Ave, LA 323-933-8540.Four course menu Mon-Thurs for $38. Tender Greens 9523 Cluver Blvd, Culver City, CA 310-842-8300. Sunday pot roast dinner for $10.

How To Get In A Locked Out Car With Keyless Entry

Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot >From your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other 'remote' for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).

How To Disable A Stolen Mobile Phone

To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following Digits on your phone: *#06#. A 15-digit code will appear on the screen. This n umber is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. When your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM car d, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.

How To Sell Your House Fast In A Buyers Market

1. Don't Wait Out The Market List your house as soon as you can since it may take up to 180 days to sell your house. 2.Clean It And Fix it In life, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. So don't spend a lot of money for big renovations. Just make sure everything is in good repair. Make sure the door bell works, the carpets and floors are clean, and there are no offensive pet odors. For info on how to choose and outstanding carpet and floor cleaner visit www.AllstateCleaning.com . Then get rid of the clutter. Rent a storage facility and put out only enough furniture out to make it look livable. 3. Price It Right Forget what you think your house was worth three years ago or today. House prices are down anywhere from 14% to 25% all across the nation. Smart buyers will be looking for bargains. So price your house below comparable nearby properties. Keep in mind that renting is still a better deal right now than buying. 4. Hire A Top Gun Realtor Forget the discount brokers, your cousin or the part time realtor down the street. No matter what broker you choose, demand that your house be listed only with the top agent in that office. Interview several agents and ask that they present a marketing plan that goes beyond beyond an internet page, an open house or a yard sign. Also,offer the agent a bonus if he or she sells your house in 30 days at your asking price. Plus make sure your house is listed on website like www.Trulia.com , www.Zillow.com ,www.Cyberhomes.com ,www.Eppraisal.com and www.Realtor.com .Also, list the house on www.Ebay.com and www.Craigslist.org . Think out of the box. Try listing your house in a corporate newsletter or contacting re-location firms in your area and letting them know about your house. 5. Hold The Paper If your house is paid off, consider offering the buyer full or partial financing.This will be in your favor in a tight credit market. Just make sure you use a top real estate lawyer to draw up the papers. If the buyer defaults, the worst that can happen is you take the house back and sell it again. Also to sweeten the pot, you should have your house inspected and market it as a "certified house" like a certifed car. If the inspection reveals problems, you can have them corrected before anybody finds out. To find a certified house inspector, visit www.Ashi.Org and www.Nahi.Org To make your home even more attractive in a buyer's market, you should also offer a home warranty for a $300 to $400 cost. Home warranties are available at www.HomeServiceContract.Org

How To Avoid Foreclosure

If you're one of the millions of Americans who was sold a high risk mortage without full disclosure you'll find help at www.LoanSafe.Org. There, you'll find links to firms that offer loan modification and document reviews that protect your rights. You'll also find a helpful forum to find help with your particular loan issues.

Top Chow Spots In Jersey

Continental www.ratsrestaurant.org/ratsrestaurant.php?page=1&sub=1 16 Fairgrounds Rd, Hamilton, NJ 609-584-7800 Seafood Library II, 306 Rout 73, Voorhees, NJ 08043, www.MilfordOysterHouse.com, 922 Rt 591, Milford, NJ 908-995-9411, Jackson Mountain Cafe, 400 Washington Blvd, Cape May, NJ 609-884-5648 American www.daviddrakes.com,1449 Irving St, Rahway, NJ 07065 732-388-6677, www.55main.com ,55 Main St, Flemington, NJ 908-284-1551, Italian www.scalinifedeli.com, 63 Main St, Chatham, NJ 973-701-9200, www.panicosrestaurant.com ,103 Church St, New Brunswick, NJ 732-545-6100, French www.restaurantpassionne.com,77 Walnut St, Montclair, NJ 07042 973-233-1006, Indian-New Age www.piquantfoods.com 349A George St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 732-246-2468, Thai www.thaitida.com 236 N. Union St, Lambertville, NJ 609-397-6901,

How To Avoid Carpet Cleaning Scams

As soon as the economy takes a downturn, it’s guaranteed to happen. They promise to clean all the carpets in your house for $59.00. Sound too good to be true? It probably is. To make matters worse, they finally show up–three hours late-in a beat up pick-up truck with no company name, and hop out in torn jeans and a soiled tee-shirt. Then you realize it: you’ve been the victim of a bait -and -switch campaign. What is bait and switch? Bait and switch scams work like this: a company advertises cleaning a roomful of carpet of carpet for a ridiculously low price. When they arrive, they inform you the price they quoted is only for the traffic lanes and doesn’t include any cleaning chemicals.” That’s like taking a bath with no soap,” says textile inspector Rodney Mortillaro at AllstateCleaning.Com. So you agree to pay extra for the chemicals because you are thankful someone showed up. In the end, the final bill ends up costing you hundreds of dollars. Another typical scam is hearing that a company will clean a set amount of rooms for a very low price ( like 5 rooms for $49.00). After they begin, you discover a linen closet, hallway, foyer, or regular closet counts as a room, and you wind up paying a lot more than you thought you would. Bait-and-switch scams are especially targeted at the elderly. Seniors are more likely to be intimidated by high pressure tactics and by someone who ”promises" to give them a good deal. Professional carpet cleaning technicians will arrive in a company vehicle with company identification on the side. They may also be uniformed, should be well groomed, and should provide some sort of business or certification card. If they are more like person described at the beginning of this story, then don’t let them in. So how can you avoid a bait-and-switch scam? The best protection against bait-and-switch is to ask some pointed questions before the cleaner arrives at your home. Call several local cleaning companies. If the company cannot answer simple questions, move on to another company. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Here are 11 tough questions you should ask: 1." Is your company part of a national building supply store, department store or franchise?" Big national department stores, discount building supply stores and franchise cleaners have big employee turn over problems. The technician on your home route will probably change several times a year. So calling a large carpet cleaning franchise is usually a "roll of the dice" when it comes to getting a good carpet cleaning tech. More than likely you'll get a "green" rookie with one day of "training" who will be learning at your expense. Plus they book lots of jobs back to back so most of the time no more than 30 minutes is ever spent cleaning your carpets. Then they pray that their employees will do a good job for you. Some of these large companies even advertise that they are "family owned" but in reality, they may have 100 trucks or more. So to them, you're just a number. And their office may be up to 2 or 3 hours away from your home. But many use toll free numbers so you have no way of knowing that you're not calling a local company. So your chances of getting an owner or a family member to clean your carpets are slim to none. 2. " Are you certified in carpet cleaning? If not, what type of formal training do you have?" Hardly any of the franchise and bait-and-switch cleaners are certified by the Institute Of Inspection, Cleaning Restoration and Certification. In fact, only the top 10% of all cleaners in the nation are IICRC certified. 3. "How many years has your company been in business?" ( the longer, the better) 4. "Can you provide a list of references I can call?" 5. " Is your company drug, alcohol and criminal free?" Many national chains and independent owners do not do background checks and drug testing on their employees. This puts you and your family at great risk. So to be on the safe side, DO NOT deal with companies who fail to pre-screen their employees. 6. " Can you provide proof of insurance and a business license?" 7. " What steps will be included in your cleaning process? Is your company 100% green?" Besides using cheap cleaning solutions that cause rapid re-soling, many chain, franchise and bait and switch cleaners use detergents that may be harmful to you, your family and your pets. Make sure the firm you choose can prove that they use cleaning solutions that are safe for you and the environment. 8. "Does your company sell carpet?" In most cases, you should never have your carpets cleaned by carpet retailers. Reason? Its a lot more profitable and easier for carpet retailers to sell you new carpet than to restore it like new. Plus it's easier for them to tell you that your carpets need to be replaced when it's simply not true. This rule also applies to firms that re-upholster and clean furniture. 9. "How long will it take for the carpet to dry?" 10. " Do you offer free, no-obligation, on-site written quotations?" 11. " Do you offer a written, satisfaction or money back guarantee?" After your questions have been answered, you also may what to check the firm’s reputation with the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org . You can also check the consumer affairs department of your state’s attorney general’s office. “You’d be shocked at the number of companies that have lousy reputations when it comes to addressing consumer complaints”, says Mortillaro. When you have decided on a cleaner, make sure you pay your bill with a major credit card. Sometimes it’s difficult getting a cleaner to come back to fix a problem after you’ve paid the bill. Paying by credit card will give you an option to dispute the bill if the problem is not resolved to your satisfaction. For a free report on how to select a carpet cleaner see, How To Select A Professional Carpet Cleaning Company and the Oriental Rug Guide at www.AllstateCleaning.Com

Lock In Tomorrow's Gas At Today's Prices!

If you want to keep on step ahead of rising gas prices, then join www.MyGallons.Com For a $29.95 annual membership, this company lets you buy gasoline at today's prices that you will use in the near future. If you don't save big money, the membership comes with a money back guarantee.

How To Open A Swiss Bank Account

In Europe, the US dollar is now referred to as the "American Peso". It appears that the dollar keeping losing its value and purchasing power compared to other currencies around the world. If you want value and safety for your dollars,and you are concerned about the liquidity of your US bank, then perhaps you may want to keep a portion of your savings in Swiss francs. Under Swiss law, 40% of all Swiss francs must be backed by gold. But it's actually around 56%. That's what makes it one the most stable currerncies in the world. Several Swiss banks have offices in the US but they only offer accounts in US dollars or asset management for clients who have $200,000 or more to invest. If you want a "retail account" or a "numbered account", you must do it through the bank's headquarters in Switzerland. You can find bank names and contact information from the Swiss Bankers Association at www.swissbanking.org/en/home.htm Credit Suisse, http://www.credit-suisse.com/global/en/, and UBS are the two largest Swiss banks and they control 50% of the bank market share in Switzerland. They also have the most branches around the world. Once you've picked a bank, you can apply by mail or go directly to the bank in Switzerland. The minimum to open an account is usually $250. Forms and applications vary among banks, but for a mail application, you'll need a send a signature cettification form and an authenticated copy of your passport. If you ever have to report a problem with your Swiss account, you can contact the bank's legal department and file a complaint. If your claim is denied, you can contact a mediator at www.bankingombudsman.ch/english If you still get no satisfaction and want to sue, you'll need a Swiss lawyer. You can search for one at www.swisslawyers.com As a US citizen, you can have a bank account anywhere in the world. However, as a US citizen, you are required to report income from those accounts on your tax return. Besides reporting your bank account income to the IRS, you must also disclose the existence of those foreign bank accounts to the US Treasury Department. For more information, consult the IRS, the Treasury Department, your accountant or tax attorney.

Best Summer Vacation Value

The Jersey shore is way too crowded, the Hamptons have too much traffic, and Europe is way too expensive. Your best bet? The Caribbean. Although the threat of hurricanes is real, only one has hit the Carribbean in 10 years. That was hurriance Dennis, a category 3 storm, which passed by most of the islands. Plus you can get hurrricane travel insurance at www.insuremytrip.com in case you have to cut your trip short. At www.TravelZoo.Com you can get a 7 night round trip air and room deal in Barbados for $389! Plus they'll throw in breakfast. So check out TravelZoo for all inclusive air and room deals plus cruises for Anguilla, Aruba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia and Turks & Caicos before you even think about going any place else this summer.

Plan Your Wedding On The Web & Save Time & Money

To Start Off go 2: www.Weddings.Alltop.Comand www.ManoloBrides.Com for creative ideas. Price Out Your Dayat www.CostOfWedding.Comand www.CostHelper.Com to get a breakdown on low-end, mid-range and high-end weddings. Get Reviews On Vendors at www.WeddingWire.Com, www.TopWeddingQuestions.Com then get photographer, DJ, and band samples at www.ADJA.Org , www.WeddingMusicUsa.Com and at www.WPJA.Com . Order Wedding Invitations at www.Carlsoncraft.Com or at www.MomentalDesigns.Com Get Money Saving Tips at www.Cheap-Chic-Weddings.Com and out them in a spreadsheet from www.NumSum.Com Order Wedding Gown & Brides Maid Dresses at www.BridalOnlineStore.Com, www.BrideCouture.Com, www.GownSales.Com and www.VintageGown.Com. Create A Free Wedding Website at www.Ewedding.Com. Start A Wedding Registryat www.WeddingChannel.Com, or have guests contribute to your honeymoon at www.SendUsOff.Com or to your favorite charity at www.JustGive.Com. Shop For Wedding Favors at www.Beau-Coup.Com, www.Etsy.Com and www.Save-On-Crafts.Com Make travel arrangements for your honeymoon at www.TravelZoo.Com and www.BookingBuddy.Com Get An Online Map Tool fro out of town guests at www.WeddingMapper.Com. Find Dance Tutorials on ballroom dancing at www.YouTube.Com Check Out The Marrige Laws In Your State at www.MarriageLaws.Com Order Gifts For Attendants at www.MyGroomsMenGifts.Com or at www.BlueFly.Com. After e-mailing your wedding announcemnet to your local paper Finalize Your Reception Seating at www.SimpleSeating.Com